Meeting of the Parliament 04 June 2025
We have debated those issues many times before in the chamber. I say gently to the minister that the United Kingdom has had record levels of inward migration over the past five years and that Scotland has not been able to attract its population share of those new migrants. That is an issue that the Scottish Government could address.
We all want to increase the levels of innovation and entrepreneurial activity in Scotland, to make up for what is a pretty dismal historical record, but that will happen only with a change of direction from the Government, particularly in areas such as tax. I want the Government to start listening to entrepreneurs such as Sir Tom Hunter and to start changing its direction. That point is made in my amendment.
I move amendment S6M-17785.3, to leave out from “supports” to end and insert:
“calls on the Scottish Government to make greater effort to support businesses and entrepreneurship in Scotland; notes concerns identified by the Fraser of Allander Institute that only 9% of Scottish businesses believe that the Scottish Government understands the business community, and that the New Deal for Business has caused this relationship to stagnate further; recognises that Scotland has a lower business birth rate and stock rate compared to the rest of the UK, which has hindered entrepreneurship; congratulates Ana Stewart on her appointment as Scotland’s new Chief Entrepreneur, but believes that a new approach is needed to deliver the high-growth economy that businesses and entrepreneurs need; welcomes the publication of Lessons from Singapore for Scotland’s Economy by the Hunter Foundation, which urges the Scottish and UK governments to stop punishing entrepreneurs, deliver a long-term growth strategy and foster a more business-friendly environment through lower taxation, and believes that entrepreneurship and innovation can be enhanced through Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party plans to drive economic growth by cutting taxes for workers and businesses.”
15:45Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.